Playing Pretend
by misaoshiru
Summary: An almost fairy tale. [AU, KxT. Oneshot.]


Disclaimer: No, I don't own RurouKen, and I never will. Are you satisfied, now that you've killed all my hopes and dreams? T-T**  
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**Playing Pretend**  
_by misaoshiru_

They both went to the tiny, decrepit old elementary school on the corner of Serenity Boulevard and the street on which lay the crumbling Hidden Sun apartment complex. Neither of them had any real friends, but that was okay. She had none because she was nearly ten years old and still played with her imaginary friends. He had none because he'd had to move here from far, far away and left all his friends behind. And then they met because their imaginary friends had bumped in to each other, and then they had each other and everything was now right in the world.

Over time, they became as thick as thieves. He learned that her mother had died not long ago, when her brother was born, and that her old best friend had moved to the other side of the country merely two weeks before he came. She learned that his parents had been murdered a few years ago and that he lived with his drunken godfather who, while never abusive, neither particularly understood nor liked small children. And they played often and always, with their toys and games and most of all their many imaginary friends.

And then the day finally came that they decided they were too old for imaginary friends and moved on to that most sacred game of children from every generation: playing pretend. She was in junior high by now, but she always stopped at the dilapidated elementary and walked home with him every day, pretending all along the way. Some days, he was the prince from far, far away, coming to save the princess of this land from dragons, monsters, and evil people. Or they'd play pirates, or astronauts, or even house. The other boys in his class would make fun of him more than ever if they knew about the last one, he knew, but that didn't matter to him. Playing house was a little less exciting than pretending to be a prince or a pirate or an astronaut, but it was the best way to get the occasional smile from her. He had fallen in love with her smile before he really knew what love was.

Once in a great while, she would tell him that her father was going to be home from work early and that he could come over for dinner. Those were always the best games of pretend, even though her little brother didn't like him very much at all and often made this very clear. Truth to be told, he didn't particularly care for her brother, either, but he was able to put up with his behavior if it meant more time with her.

Soon, it seemed, both of them were in high school, and they began going out. At first, it was only because it seemed the thing to do, but it felt so…right that they did not dare stop. The games of pretend never stopped, either, though they changed in nature. Now they were pretending to plan a visit to far, far away, where he'd grown up, or pretending they could afford to visit Europe, a place she had always wanted to see. Most often of all, though, they pretended they had just a little more time before they had to finish their homework or go to class that they could spend together, doing whatever they pleased.

Years passed, and she had to drop out of the local community college because her brother had been hit by a car and her family couldn't afford to pay the hospital bill unless she worked full time. And he dropped out of high school to help, since the thing that upset him most had always been seeing her upset.

The bills were finally all paid, but then her father needed a surgery, and another, and then something else went wrong, and the debts just kept piling up and the cycle continued. They started living together, since it was cheaper when they shared their expenses, and they pretended to be married since they had nowhere near enough money for an actual ceremony. They pretended that the can of condensed soup and the stale heel of bread were a feast rather than the last of the food in their sixth floor apartment just down the street from where they'd met when they were children so many years ago. And they pretended that everything was going to be okay, which they knew was the furthest they'd been from the truth since they'd started playing pretend together.

They pretended not to notice the lump for a very long time. After she had scrounged up the money to see a doctor, who'd pronounced it a tumor, they pretended it was benign. He and she continued to pretend because facades were the only things they could find comfort in anymore.

She grew progressively weaker and weaker until one day she received a letter from her other childhood friend, the one with whom she'd lost contact so many years ago, saying that he'd heard about her cancer, that he was a famous doctor now and, while he couldn't cure her, especially considering how bad the cancer had gotten, he would do what he could to extend her life, for free. She could even stay in his house if she wanted.

"You should go," her boyfriend told her after reading the letter.

She shook her head. "Not unless you come with me."

"I would, but…"

"But your godfather is in the hospital and you can't leave work right now, I know."

"Yeah. I'm sorry."

"There is always someone…" she said, her tone grim.

"You should still go, even if I can't go with you."

"No. I would rather stay with you for what little time I have left than leave you behind and live forever."

"But…"

"People with as little left as us need to hold on to what we have left, even if it is only each other."

There was no talking her out of it. And, not long after, she passed away in her sleep. She looked so peaceful…it was hard for him to deal with the idea that she was gone, and it was even harder to pretend that he wasn't crying at her funeral. Time continued to move on, though, and slowly, he did as well. He received his high school and college degrees and got a respectable job, and he was content. But there was always…something.

Himura Kenshin was in no hurry to die, but he looked forward to it in a way, distant or near as it may be. He looked forward to whatever manner of paradise lay beyond, that he might find Tomoe again and pretend that things had always been going so well. And then they might finally be able to find their "happily ever after."


End file.
